I have't been on WS for a long time, but I'm not sure how many of you have subscribed to my Facebook page, so it's possible you'd miss the announcement. I've just gotten the labels so I'll be able to bottle this weekend.

1. There'll be a new expression of Blues Cat.

I made this in January 2013 pretty much with the original herb bill, but more my coloring process and it uses Delaware Phoenix herbs and it's been sitting ever since. New York state has had a $250 fee for every brand label in every side for all spirits, renewed annually. Considering I'd have to add $1 or $2 to the wholesale price to cover the cost of this fee, I never did anything. Now that fee has been rescinded for all brands with production under 1000 gallons annually.

Astor Wine and Spirits and Catskill Cellars have ordered this and so as Hudson Wine Merchants. If there are other stores you shop at, you may wish to request them to carry it. There will be about 150 bottles from this batch.

2. Meadow of Love will be available in a 375 ml size.

I know for people here, maybe that is "so what?". But many people new to absinthe, or looking for absinthe simply to use in cocktails, have difficulty getting a full 750 ml size bottle. And many stores don't want to carry an expensive niche spirit with a relatively high price when they could sell 10x as much of another flavored vodka.

I won't get to making deliveries until mid-next week, so it may be best to wait for the retailers to have the products.

Thanks for all the support over the years all of you absinthe aficionados as it has been great to keep things going for 5 years. Let's hope the next five years are even better.

"Good is the only investment that never fails." Thoreau."Don't you push me baby cause I'm holdin' low / and you know I'm only in it for the gold" Grateful Dead
Distiller and Proprietor, Delaware Phoenix Distillery, Walton, NY. DSP-NY-15019. www.delawarephoenix.com

I know for people here, maybe that is "so what?". But many people new to absinthe, or looking for absinthe simply to use in cocktails, have difficulty getting a full 750 ml size bottle. And many stores don't want to carry an expensive niche spirit with a relatively high price when they could sell 10x as much of another flavored vodka.

Thank you!

375 ml bottles are great for introducing people to good absinthe. Once people know that they like it, jumping up to full size is much easier. More high quality brands need to get on this.

Also with how long a 375 will last them, they might realize the cost per glass isn't actually that much.

I don't come around much as I don't want to be just a shill for what I do, and I want people to feel free to comment on my products. It's difficult to say what you might think when something is so associated with a particular person, you don't want to hurt their feelings.

I'll try to get deliveries in real soon as I also need to send even more money to Uncle Sam and they don't like it if you're late.

All the best everyone,

cheryl

"Good is the only investment that never fails." Thoreau."Don't you push me baby cause I'm holdin' low / and you know I'm only in it for the gold" Grateful Dead
Distiller and Proprietor, Delaware Phoenix Distillery, Walton, NY. DSP-NY-15019. www.delawarephoenix.com

To the left is the newest bottling of Blues Cat, and to the right is the first bottling. Interesting to see the color change between batches. The newest batch is noticeably darker with more amber tones.

I bought two of the new Blues Cat. I'm looking forward to trying it later this week.

This is a much more herbaceously forward absinthe than I remember the original being. I know it's absinthe, but I hope you know what I mean. Some absinthes are more flowery (Vilya, DP WW, etc). Definitely naturally sweet. Very, very strong louche, just like every other DP I've every had. The sweetness on this guy definitely balances out the herbaceousness. Some of the more herby-ish absinthes I have are drier, but this one is more balanced, which I really like. I feel my tongue numbing up immediately, something that normally takes a few glasses to achieve. This is a very enjoyable, relaxing absinthe. This is what I want to drink while sitting in front of a campfire for sure. Nothing crazy going on, simple absinthe flavors done very well. 4/5.

I know I don't follow that standard format for rating absinthes, but I kind of just like following my train of thought and rating the absinthe as such. You should probably take everything I say with a giant bag of salt.

Also, can everyone read the post I made above with the picture? It is the post immediately above this one.